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Aerial photography
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Suravia S.A fotografia aerea, is a company specialized on aerial photography, authorized by the
headquarter of civil aviation in Spain. With sophisticated equipment and more than 15 years of experience
Suravia S.A. can offer the best quality in aerial photographic
services. In recent years renewable energies represent main topic of Suravia's activities.
Company, leader in the Spanish market, takes part in most
representative projects related to renewable energies. More...
Photovoltaic power plant Calvia, Mallorca
(courtesy: Suravia S.A.)
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Solar radiation
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At Focus Solar, we master the art of solar resource estimation. That's the study of how much energy is provided by the sun under different weather conditions.
The use of satellite earth observations has brought a whole new dimension to
solar resource assessment. High resolution solar energy data are now available
to solar system owners everywhere in the United States offering a wealth of new
opportunities. It's now possible to monitor solar systems from space and to spot
microclimates on high-resolution maps of solar energy.
More...
Solar radiation in the USA
(courtesy: Focus Solar)
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Solar electricity potential of European regions
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Map published by the European Commission shows the photovoltaic solar energy
potential of different parts of Europe. In addition the interactive on-line Photovoltaic Geographical
Information System (PVGIS), developed by the Commission's in-house scientific service,
DG Joint Research Centre, allows users to estimate solar energy performance at any given
location in Europe. These tools are invaluable as the
EU seeks to increase the share of renewable energies in its consumption to 20 % in 2020.
Map can be downloaded from
PVGIS web site. With its continuous improvement and updates PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographical Information
System) web site is one of the best solar radiation resources for estimation of PV
potential in Europe and Africa available on-line.
Source: PVGIS © European Communities, 2001-2008.
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Recommended books
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Photovoltaik
Strom aus Sonnenlicht für Verbundnetz und Inselanlagen
Book covers topics from solar cells to grid connected photovoltaic systems
(German language).
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Gebäudeintegrierte Photovoltaik. Architektonische Integration der Photovoltaik in die Gebäudehülle
One of the best BIPV related books available (German language).
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Designing with Solar Power
The book introduces the holistic design process, PV
technologies and integration concepts. With case studies
from across the globe, experts in the field explore the
potential of this technology, covering various
applications (including non-building structures), relevant
design tools, reliability, non-technical barriers and markets.
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Solární energie
book written by Martin Libra and Vladislav Poulek
is available in czech and english language. In many short chapters it gives good
introduction into the world of solar energy (photovoltaics). More...
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Solar Generation report
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Solar Generation V -
Greenpeace and EPIA are joining forces for the fifth time to publish a report on PV solar electricity: Solar Generation V. Apart from
providing an overview of the current worldwide status of PV in terms of
policy, technology and economics, Solar Generation contains credible
scenarios which prove once again that PV is clearly on the way to becoming
a well-established energy source in the coming decades; EPIA, Greenpeace, September 2008 (6000 kB).
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REN21 Renewables Global Status Report
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Renewables Global Status Report: Energy Transformation Continues Despite
Economic Slowdown. The REN21 Renewables Global Status Report 2009, update
shows that the fundamental transition of the world’s energy markets
continue.
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Electricity from renewables saved 2,8 billion USD in Germany in 2005
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Comprehensive report available for free as pdf file was written by
specialists from "Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR, Stuttgart)" and
"Fraunhofer Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI, Karlsruhe)".
Highly recommended (german language only).
Read more... or
download report as
 file (337 kB).
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Interesting milestones
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50 years ago
in 1960, Hoffman Electronics introduced solar cell with 14 % efficiency.
30 years ago
in 1980, ARCO Solar was the first to produce photovoltaic modules with peak power of
over 1 MW per year.
20 years ago
in 1990, Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (ECD) and Canon Inc. established a joint company
United Solar Systems Corporation for solar cells production. Siemens bought ARCO Solar and
established Siemens Solar Industries. Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) renamed to
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
More...
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About web site
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pvresources.com is an independent web site related to photovoltaic
technnologies and applications. It was
developed as non-commercial helpful information to serve teachers, students and others interested in photovoltaics.
In the web site you will find many interesting information on photovoltaic technologies, systems, applications etc. In case you
miss any information, I have provided various interesting links where you can look for information you want.
More...
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Conference PV Power Plants 2010 - EU
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Utility-Scale PV: Technology, Markets & Financing, Production & Development
January 2010, Czech Republic.
PV Power Plants is Europe´s first conference focusing exclusively on the "Large Solar Power Plant" market segment - that for systems requiring very high capital investment.
For the first time in this market segment - solar power plants from 500kWp upwards - PV Power Plants will address the crucial issues in a single event: the technology, project development and implementation, quality assurance, legal frameworks, financing, markets for large-scale facilities and their development, security and insurance.
Plenary sessions will be offered together with workshops in parallel sessions and discussion forums. The conference language will be English.
Read more in Solarpraxis press release, further information are available
on www.solarpraxis.de ...
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Architectural highlights
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Grass Valley Elementary School - What are the lessons we will give our children, and how will we communicate them?
This simple but powerful idea inspires “The Science of Light,” a new solar art glass
installation by Sarah Hall at Grass Valley Elementary School in Camas, Washington.
(picture courtesy Sarah Hall Studio)
This unique installation in the main stairwell windows of the school merges the
ancient art of stained glass with cutting edge technology to produce a window that not
only looks magnificent, but works for its living as well by gathering and using
electricity in a visible and interactive way – as solar energy is gathered a glass spiral
located in the stairwell is illuminated.
Embedded in two panels are arrays of photovoltaic cells (thin silicon and metal
squares that convert light into electricity). In this way the windows harvest energy
from sunlight. The colours are warm and welcoming: the windows present solar
energy to the students, staff and visitors in a joyful way. More...
Coney Island's Stillwell Avenue Terminal is the largest above-ground station in
the New York City subway system. Glass
and steel structure was designed using an innovative, panelized construction system of
semi-transparent photovoltaic modules.
Picture courtesy:
Arnold Glas.
Interesting BIPV example is facade of a fashion house "ZARA" in Köln, Germany.
"ZARA's" facade is a combination of natural stone, metal and BIPV
integrated solar modules. 12 kW photovoltaic system consists of special solar glass and marine blue solar cells.
Picture courtesy Ingo Hagemann...
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The International Solar Technology Awards
are designed to acknowledge and
recognise achievements in the production of solar technology.
The winners of the inaugural photovoltaics industry's Cell Awards were
announced at a ceremony attended by the PV industry elite at the Intersolar
exhibition on May 28th in Munich, Germany. Designed to acknowledge technical
achievements in solar manufacturing, the Cell Awards attracted over 2,500
industry votes cast online during the three-week voting process.
Read more ...
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Jobs & recruiting in solar industry
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PVPEOPLE.net - is a contingency and retained
recruiting firm specializing in the photovoltaic (PV) industry. We deliver top industry
talent who has been confidentially located, qualified and reference checked.
Key positions in manufacturing and research and development that we work on are
process engineers, design engineers, materials and research scientists, engineering and
operations managers, and Lean-Sigma/quality assurance engineers.
Other job opportunities:
Photon Magazine
RenComp
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Translation services
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Translation services for photovoltaics (spanish, dutch and german language) and
simultaneously, consecutively and bilaterally interpretation (negotiations, conferences,
guided tours, interviews, etc.
More...
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GUNTHER Portfolio
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The GUNTHER Portfolio offers short and interesting overviews about PV
technologies, companies, industry developments etc.
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Solar Thermal Energy News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com
Renewable Energy News Headlines provided by RenewableEnergyWorld.com - the leading online publisher of renewable energy news and information world-wide.
AltaTerra Research Web Conference Presents Status Update and Outlook for Rene...
Once "unthinkable" in North America, renewable energy feed-in tariffs are gaining momentum in the U.S. and elsewhere. On March 4th, author, advocate, and renewable energy industry analyst, Paul Gipe will present the l...
SolarCraft is Awarded Green Business of the Year
SolarCraft has been selected by the Novato Chamber of Commerce (NCOC) as the inaugural recipient of its Green Business of the Year Award. In business since 1984, SolarCraft celebrates its 26th year providing renewabl...
25% US Renewable Electricity Standard Will Create 274,000 Jobs
A new study released by Navigant Consulting finads that a 25% by 2025 national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) would support hundreds of thousands of new American jobs and prevent a near-term collapse in some ind...
Abengoa & JCI Installing Solar Thermal System at Colorado Prison
Abengoa Solar Inc., under contract to Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), is installing a turnkey solar hot water heating system at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) located in Englewood, Colorado. The solar system ...
US Government Budget Proposals Increase Clean Energy Funding
President Barack Obama unveiled on February 1 a $28.4 billion budget request for DOE for fiscal year (FY) 2011, including $2.36 billion for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The proposed...
Renewable Energy Developers Ask If Not Here, Where?
While millions of families became lost in the visual effects of the blockbuster movie Avatar, to me it also offers an ironic similarity to the quest for renewable energy here in the United States. In the movie, humani...
Crafting National Standards
Renewable energy is making a gradual presence in this country. But the key question facing U.S. lawmakers is whether to mandate broad portfolio standards or whether to continue giving the states the authority to deter...
AltaTerra Research Announces Solar Money and Markets Series
New web conference series to address timely and fundamental questions of economics, finance, subsidies, and sales and marketing for the solar industry in 2010.
Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas commissioned for feasibility studies to develop t...
Relevant Indian developers confirmed their interest on Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas' expertise promoting, engineering and constructing concentrated solar power plants.
The company supports India's National Solar M...
Energy Diversification: A National Security Imperative
According to the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. imports about 60% of its oil, with more than two-thirds of it used for transportation. Oil is essential to the basic functioning of the global economy, from...
Newsfeed display by CaRP
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Sun in old cultures
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Stanford SOLAR Center offers comprehensive collection of information - sun in old cultures, ancient observatories,
solar art and more. Recommended web site!
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SOL4 - BIPV systems and passive buildings
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SOL4 is an exemplary pilot project in a new semi-urban district for the sustainable
construction of a working and living environment. The building complex serves as a
business and training centre, as well as a centre of competence for advanced standards
in ecological development, construction and workplace design. It is currently the
largest passive solar office building in Austria. The skills and experience from a broad
range of the project partners and associates were brought together in a common
infrastructure and seminar programme for tenants. The resulting living and working
environment includes relax areas and other social spaces. The technologies and design
objectives implemented in the project sought to maximise "green" surfaces
(e.g., green roof systems, open infiltration surfaces, etc.). Special attention was
paid to using the latest developments of environmentally friendly construction materials
as extensively as possible. The facility's energy management system optimises ventilation
and air conditioning by means of a closed-loop heat distribution circuit with
ground-coupled and ventilation heat exchangers. Passive cooling is enabled by
concrete core activation in the panels of the roof construction. The grid-tied
photovoltaic system provides electricity to cover the remaining energy demands of
the mechanical systems. Finally, SOL4's overall ecological performance is being monitored
and continually analysed with total quality assessment methods.
More...
SOL4 office building. Picture photo Thomas Kirschner, courtesy
SOL4
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Large-scale PV power plants
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Detailed overwiev about PV power installed (only large scale PV power plants considered)
in last ten years (1997-2007) you may find in
"pvresources.com Annual
Review 2008 Free Edition available as pdf file
Brief descriptions and some images of world's largest photovoltaic plants can you find if you follow
the link. For each plant basic data is
included - peak power, country, location, year of construction, GHG emission reduction data
etc - if available of course. Pictures of some plants listed are also included.
In August 2009 RGE Energy AG officially started the construction of one of the world´s
largestsolar energy plants. The Photovoltaic installation with a performance of
45.000 kWp will be built on a former military airfield in Köthen, Saxony-Anhalt,
on 116 hectare undeveloped area which equals the size of 162 soccer pitches.
Read more ...
Köthen, location of 45 MWp PV power plant under construction
Picture courtesy: RGE Energy
Market expansion in the Czech Republic continues. Several large-scale PV power plants were put
into service in 2009. Tracking concentrator PV power plants are not typical for
central Europe - on the picture below 0,5 kW PV power plant Moravsky Krumlov.
Solarpark Moravsky Krumlov
Picture courtesy: Poulek Solar
Solarpark Lieberose under construction. With 53 MW peak power (when completed)
currently the largest photovoltaic power plant under construction
Picture courtesy: juwi Holding
Aznalcollar, photovoltaic power plants with 17 MW peak power constructed by different companies
Picture courtesy: Suravia S.A.
In 2008 first large scale PV plants were put into service in Greece.
100 kW Olympic power plant, located in Pieria, Greece. Picture courtesy
Compa Solar
Lucainena de Las Torres (Almeria). 23,2 MW plant completed in summer 2008. Picture courtesy
MEPSOLAR AG
Huerta Solar Benahadux (Almeria). 10,6 MW plant completed in summer 2008, air photo. Picture courtesy
esTCI S.L.
Huerta Solar Benahadux (Almeria). 10,6 MW plant completed in summer 2008. Picture courtesy
esTCI S.L.
Maccaferri Industrial Group, one of the largest roof mounted systems in Italy put into service in 2008.
Picture courtesy
Mitsubishi Electric
U.S. Army site, Fort Carson, CO. 2 MW plant completed in December 2007. Picture courtesy
SunTechnics
Solarpark Lobosillo. Picture courtesy
Ecostream
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Concentrator PV
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Some large-scale concentrator PV power plants were also installed in recent years.
One example of small scale concentrator PV power plants is presented on
the picture below.
In 2008-2009, WS Energia installed about 736 kW of solar concentrators, divided
in more than 200 installations, all over Portugal. Each grid connected system
has a power of 3,7 kW. More ...
Picture source/copyright:
WS-Energia
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The most attractive
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One of the most attractive european photovoltaic systems is probably
Akademie Mont Cenis in Herne, Germany. Wooden structure covered with glass and transparent
photovoltaic modules is unique sollution build on revitalised former coal mine in northern Germany
"Akademie-du-Mont-Cenis", Herne, Germany.
Picture source/copyright:
Flabeg-Solar
Floriade exhibition hall, the Netherlands. Roof integrated photovoltaic system with
transparent modules. Detailed description of Floriade system can
be found here (pdf file courtesy of
Siemens Nederland N.V.).
More about bipv applications...
Pictures courtesy Bram Vorster...
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The highest located plants
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World's highest located grid-connected system is located on Jungfraujoch
mountain in Switzerland - 3545 m above the sea level.
In 2005 PV plant Jungfraujoch
(effective peak power 1.13 kWp, 3454 m above sea level), which was erected in 1993 by
the PV laboratory of the Berne School of Engineering and Information technology, has
established a new record for normalised annual energy production in 2005. Despite a
line interruption of one day (23.8.2005) in the valley, in 2005 1537 kWh/kWp were
produced with a winter energy fraction of 48.5%. Thus the old record dating from 1997
(1504 kWh/kWp) was trespassed considerably. Without the line interruption, in 2005 the
production would have been even 1540 kWh/kWp. In the average of 1993 to 2005, PV plant
Jungfraujoch has produced 1407 kWh/kWp with a winter energy fraction of 46.3%.
You may find
more details about the plant on the page where world's
highest located grid-connected system are described, or on the web site of
PV-Labor der Hochschule für Technik
und Informatik (HTI) - Berner Fachhochschule.
Picture source/copyright:
PV-Labor der Hochschule für Technik und Informatik - Berner Fachhochschule
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